ATF care info

[pbass lover]

Okay everyone I have ordered a ATF(vittatus) and I was hoping some of the experts here could give me some tips on caring for him.Thanx

 

[West1]

Okay everyone I have ordered a ATF(vittatus) and I was hoping some of the experts here could give me some tips on caring for him.Thanx

They thrive in current... add powerheads or a pump to the tank. Keep the Temp around 84* and try to get him off live foods... the trick is the owner. Dont give up on starving him for a fe days and say you cant do it. It will take several 2-3 week starving to do so.
Also, keep your light off for a few days as he will be very skitish when you introduce him to the tank, he might run in to the tank and bash his beautiful face

I reccomend you get a small feeder tank and Quatentine them for a few days before feeding to the Vittatus.

He will be getting Ich due to feeders so I would add salt on everywater change.
Keep water and Params top notch and make sure you add the chemicals needed for each water change (if you are ganna use Tap water for this, I learned the hard way)

Other than that, AWSOME fish to own!!!!!!!

Try not to keep a lot of decor as they are power swimmers and can go from 0-60 in a blink of an eye
They also grow pretty slow on a average of 1-2" every 3-4 months


If you want him to grow faster, powerfeed him for a few months and keep non stop feeders in the tank. Turn your temp to 88* (MUST,MUST have aeriation in the tank as it would be harder for him to breath) and dont worry about it being to hot (look at where they are from.... HOT rivers). And last but not least, water changes 2 times a week

Keep us posted and congrads

 

[pbass lover]

Thanks
any ideas for tankmates? Anythings fair game but do you think a frontosa, Malawi hawk or small pike will be alright?

 

[Bogwoodbruce]

Im not an expert ive been keeping my VATF for around 2 months now, apparently they kill them selves in smaller tanks they bash themselves up or jump.

I have a 6" one in a 6x2x2 with lots of filters and a good current. I got mine when it was already feeding on dead foods. I have mine eating bloodworm, frozen foods, mussle prawn etc...

I wouldnt mix them with african cichlids. I have mine with cichla, rays, geos, etc...

 

[West1]

Thanks
any ideas for tankmates? Anythings fair game but do you think a frontosa, Malawi hawk or small pike will be alright?

Cichlids are a miss-match cause most cichlids tend to be semi-aggressive to aggressive. these fish are lightning fast and you dont want a tankmate to spook them as they will just take off and will hit the tank. Get slow moving tankmates... Aros, Barbs, Rays, Pbass... Non Agressive fish (for the most part)

I would def try to get him in a community tank but with tankmates
his size............ Sorry, Im laughing cause im advising you this and yet my GATF is with the exact opposite with tank mates

 

[channarox]

west basically got it all covered.
dont keep fish that look like the ATF with the ATF.
no aggressive fish.
meaning cichlids.
and NO HEPSETUS ODOE!
this has been said enough.